Time May Change Me
by TitaHightopp05
Summary: One chapter every year, posted on David Bowie's birthday on January 8th. Jareth/Sarah fics based on the Starman's songs. Happy Birthday David!
1. Changing a Starman

**Time May Change Me…**

"Labyrinth" FanFiction

 **Happy Birthday David Bowie**

Sarah lay in her bed holding Toby by her side, the loud music a DJ was playing down in the streets kept him from sleep all alone so she had allowed him to climb into her bed. To make sure he would have fallen asleep she read him a page or two of the historical introduction to '1984' by Orwell and what she was waiting for happened –her little one year old brother limp against her, mouth opened in exhaustion (and boredom), an arm over her belly.

She was still wide awake and not because of the lot-of-soul music in the street: she closed the boring book and tossed it on the floor, searched under her pillow and took the little red book in her hands tracing lovingly the gold written title with the tip of her fingers, enjoying the feel of the gentle engraving in the leather.

A year later she could still remember everything starting from her mental note which forbid her to start a phrase with 'I wish', than her grumpy friend Hoggle and the bracelet she had given him, _Will he ever understand that plastic isn't as precious as real jewels?_ , the Worm who was just a worm _And who gave wrong directions!_ , the apparently fearful and naïve Ludo who could actually make stone roll if he was in the mood of, _Mick Jagger would have liked him!_ And Sir Didymus the Brave along with his faithful steed Ambrosius _Always at the King's service_.

The King. Oh, he was glued in her memories like resin on a tree in all his regal attitude. _Must have been his eyes_ , Sarah always felt like he could scan through her mind and body with a simple glance, maybe that was why he used to smirk so often: that though send shivers along her body and a moan of disgust escaped her lips. But, she admitted to herself, he wasn't that bad: high cheekbones and thin lips, towering over her like an owl upon its prey. _Stop it_.

Something wasn't right. Just then she noticed that the music seemed to have faded and a strange light entered through her window along with peculiar glitters, they looked like little pieces of stars: she titled her head on one side to see farther out of the window without moving little Toby too much. She recognized a familiar shadow projecting on the floor, an high collar of a long cloak was as evident as an unusual haircut. He took a pair of steps forward, the shadow lengthened then stopped and he leaned against the window frame: it was a beautiful image, like a starman waiting in a night sky afraid to scare someone by landing on Earth too suddenly.

"J-Jareth?" Sarah called in a whisper.

The shadow straightened up and moved away.

"Jareth!" she carefully moved Toby aside adjusting a pillow beside him as a substitute to herself, she quickly reached the window and looked out.

The Goblin King sat on the ground of the balcony with his back leaned against the railing, he was rolling four crystals at time in his hand, three on his palm and one on top of them, and stared at every movement they made when sliding on his other hand. He seemed to notice her only when the window's door opened with a screech, he spoke with a smirk: "Hello precious"

"H-hi…" she breathed, white smoke was blown out from her mouth and just then she felt how cold the weather was and wrapped her arms around herself for warmth. "Why are you here?"

Jareth pressed his free hand upon the crystals and they magically disappeared in a puff of glitters. As he rose to his feet Sarah noticed that even though he was heavily dressed he shivered: "For the same reason you are still awake, I presume" he folded his arms over his chest and raised his chin waiting for her response.

 _He's… nostalgic?_ Sarah pushed that thought aside thinking it might have been out of his character and mimicked his posture: "Does the loud music bother you too?"

He titled his head a bit and his mismatched eyes glowed: "Don't tell me you keep the Labyrinth under your pillow just to make it higher, Sarah"

She was on the verge of replying but a blow of cold wind shushed her. She turned and reminded herself of Toby's presence in her room then she referred to the King again: "If I don't close that window Toby will catch a terrible cold. I think… you can… come inside. It's freezing after all".

For a moment he seemed surprised of her offer and looked down.

Sarah inspired, a bit disappointed: "Alright" and she walked inside.

"Wait!" he had taken a step forward and when she turned he composed himself again wrapping his cloak tighter around him. "I wouldn't mind coming in a little while".

She cocked her head towards the room and he came in, relieved by the warmth there was indoors.

Sarah sat on her bed and tucked her brother further under the blanket stroking his head protectively and without noticing she confessed not caring if he was listening or not: "I miss the Labyrinth. I miss Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus and… yes, even those troublesome Goblins" her voice grew weaker and forced through a tight throat. She was very surprised to find Jareth very near when she looked back at him. She collected her courage: "And I missed you too. Because I've never got to understand what you told me before I pronounced the words to come back, I only have suspects, you know in the book the Goblin King had fallen for the girl but… it doesn't feel-"

"Right?" he concluded for her.

"…Right"

For a moment she could have sworn his eyes were shining. He knelt in front of her touching her hands as a permission to hold them: "Of all the people I know for this occasion I picked up on you: I was supposed to and I did fall for the girl, Sarah…."

"And?"

He shook his head in defeat: "You are… I can't have you… it isn't right, or doesn't feel so, right now"

Sarah was agitated: "That would mean?"

He looked deep into her eyes: "Means that what I told you was an offer Sarah: give up everything you had up here to stay and rule by my side as my Goblin Queen. And I came back to see if a year later you would have changed you mind" despite the seriousness of his speech he ended it with an arrogant smirk.

Her first thought was that he had counted time too. As for the rest…: "Would feeling an attraction to you be wrong from me?"

Jareth knitted his eyebrows lightly.

"When will you change Goblin King?" she smiled.

"Well, I believe that only time can change me, no matter how much I reorder it. But, you know, I can't just run after it and beg him to!" he laughed bitterly. He winced when she placed her lips on his cheekbone.

"I… I accept your offer Jareth" she said.

"You do?" his mismatched eyes widened.

"But not now. I want to, but I don't feel ready. Maybe in a few years. Is that fine?"

The Goblin King was speechless for the first time. He had prepared a series of sarcastic phrases to prepare himself to answer her insults back. He really didn't expect a reaction like this, not that he was upset about it though: "Fine. Fine. More than fine"

Sarah laughed silently: "Did I catch you off guard?"

He stood and smiled at her: "I hope to see you again soon, Sarah mine" he leaned to kiss her forehead, she closed her eyes and sighed, "Just say the words and I will be your slave if you'll fear me, love me and do as I say".

His voice sounded more and more like an echo as his sentence finished. In a moment he had faded, a few glitters floated in the space he had occupied before. She could still sense the warmth of his gloved hands upon hers and his lips on her forehead. Sarah smiled, finally serene, she climbed under the blanket and fell in a peaceful sleep.

 **All the songs that inspired this fanfic were written by our beloved David: '1984', 'Starman', 'Changes'.**


	2. Heroes of the Underground Fell to Earth

**Time May Change Me...**

 **'Heroes' of the Underground Fell to Earth**

"Labyrinth" FanFiction

 **Happy Birthday David Bowie**

Sarah Williams had woken up from the dream again, shaking her head and falling from her fantasies back to her feet: the sun was shining through her window, the birds were chippering,… she sighed and looked at the ceiling of her bedroom. _Am I ready today?_

An hour later she was sitting cross-legged on her favorite bench in the park, her back leaned against the arm, sheets of paper and pastels sprawled in front of her. She tapped the back of her pencil against her lip in thought as she read what she had written over again: her novel was finally coming to an end. She sat the last page of the book face down at the top of the pile, then flipped it so the cover she had drew could be seen and the title read: A Land Serene. She smirked in satisfaction. _Yes, today I'm ready._

"I'm ready to go to this serene land"

Thanks Heavens she had a hand on the papers, or the blow of air that followed the sentence would have swept them all away, ruining hours of rearranging the pages in the correct order.

She looked up and her gaze locked with the dark eyes of a splendid golden blond barn owl that had perched himself on the back of the bench. They sat there for a while, staring at each other's pupils. Sarah started to feel uncomfortable under his gaze: she felt a slight tingle run all over her body, something almost electric as she looked at the perfectly still owl.

Injection.

When she felt like she had regained her senses, she stood, collected her things and stuffed them all inside her bag. Then, hugging the massive fascicle to her chest against the nervousness, she spoke: "Well? Are you going to stare at me for the rest of the eternity or are you coming?"

The animal shook his head and ruffled his feathers, then took flight heading towards a tree. It flew behind it and when it reappeared, it was no owl anymore. Instead there stood the Goblin King in all his regal glory.

Sarah's jaw almost dropped when he started to walk towards her dressed in Aboveground clothes: black shoes, blue jeans that hugged his hips thanks to a large belt, a black cotton shirt was tucked in them and a leather jacket of the same color covered it, around his neck was simply wrapped a blue and white scarf that showed geometrical patterns. The only things that reminded her of the Jareth she knew, were his hair that still fell on his shoulders and his eyes, so different from the owl's, still so similar.

He smirked flirtatiously at her: "You'll come to understand that the eternity is not long at all. Where are we going, Sarah mine?"

Sarah had to take a few instants to recover again before answering: "I thought we could maybe go to my place. You know, to… to talk, catch up. When was the last time we saw each other anyway?" she asked nervously.

Jareth chuckled: "Well, the right question would be, when was the last time **you** saw **me** anyway? I saw you every day since we parted" he emphasized his meaning by rolling a crystal on the back of his hand.

Sarah ran over to him and took the crystal from his hand frantically, purposely avoiding to meet his eyes: "Are you insane?! Put this thing away before anyone sees you!"

"You are so cute when you blush, precious" he whispered in her ear.

"You shut up and follow me!" she hissed as she turned towards the path to go home. After a few steps, having not heard following steps, she turned to see that he was still frozen where she had left him. She was about to call him, but he tilted his head toward a big building at his right that she recognized as the block she lived in… and that was on the opposite direction she had taken. Mentally face palming, she turned and shoved her hands into her pockets, muttering a 'thank you' as she passed him by. The way her feet touched the ground had become suddenly interesting.

She opened the principal door of the block and let him in. She accidentally ignored the polite greeting of the porter, all too wrapped up in her rage/pleasure/uneasiness of having the Goblin King back and simply walked to the elevator and pressed the proud red button beside its door.

Not having ever seen a grey door without a handle like the one he was in front of then, Jareth mimicked her by standing still and doing nothing. After a few seconds of silence he had to ask: "What exactly are we waiting for?"

"The elevator" she answered.

"I think you should call it 'the lift' for him, miss Williams!" the porter joked. His greeting had been returned by the tall blond guy and he had heard his distinct British accent.

Jareth quirked an eyebrow. Suddenly a bell ringed once and the door slid noisily open to a very small rectangular box-like room. He entered when he saw Sarah move in.

Sarah pressed the button to the fifth floor and the door closed. Once they were safe inside and the lift had left the ground she exploded: "You've been spying me all these years?!" She yelled at him. She saw him opening his mouth as to reply, but she didn't give him the chance: "Have you any idea who much time has passed? Because I know: six years! Six Jareth!" she started pacing the small space: "Have you really been violating my privacy for so long!?"

"S-Sarah-"

"I hope you have some really good piece of an excuse not to be killed right- Jareth?" He was gripping the handrail of the lift a bit too tightly for her liking, he had unwrapped the scarf from around his throat and now it was just hanging from his neck and his complexion had gone sickly pale: "Jareth what is it? Are you alright?"

"Dizzy… what kind of place is that?" his legs trembled and his knees bent.

Sarah was at his side in a blink, holding him up by an arm, panicking: "No, no, don't you dare fainting!" He didn't seem to be intentioned in standing. "Look, just sit here, ok? It's alright, we are almost there, hang on". She knelt beside him and helped him down as well, then looked at the screen on top of the buttons: third floor.

"Sarah…" his eyelids dropped.

"No, wait, yes come on, talk to me! Say my name again!" She held his face in her hands, his half opened eyes were unfocused.

"Get me out of here…" he slurred, barely aware of her palms on his cheeks.

"I-I can't" the screen had changed to 4thF a while ago: "In a moment! We have to get to the next floor, can you hear me?"

He groaned, his head fell forward and he into unconsciousness.

"Damn it! Jareth, please, don't do this!" she yelled. Her heart was pulsing in her throat as she shifted at his side not to let his limp body fall, his head leaned helplessly on her shoulder.

When the screen changed to 5thF the longest three seconds of her life started. With a bump the lift stopped and the door finally opened.

-/-\\-

When the muffling sensation that had invaded his mind seemed to fade, he felt consciousness slip back in. For a moment he focused on nothing but on repressing the sense of nausea he had by inspiring deeply and exhaling slowly. He realized he was laying on a soft surface, his feet were propped up and something reassuringly cool was pressed against his forehead. He decided to open his eyes. The curtains of the window he saw in front of him shielded him from the sunlight. He was, in fact, laying on a couch: his feet had been lifted on a pile of pillows. Lifting a hand to his head he discovered he had a wet cloth on his forehead.

"No thanks, Joe, I'll manage. I should be fine, I'll just wait for him to wake up" Sarah said leaning against her door frame.

"Alright. Uhm, I should be going now, don't hesitate to call if you need anything" said the tall man, offering her an unsure smile.

"Thank you so much" they nodded at each other and went on their separate ways.

Sarah closed the door and leaned against it. She slid down, sat on the floor and took her shoes off. When she got up she threw her jacket on a chair and sighed passing a hand through her hair.

"Sarah"

She turned and saw that Jareth was looking at her form his position on her couch. She ran to him and knelt on the floor beside his face: "You are awake"

He moaned: "You don't say". He furrowed his brow, looked down at the floor, back at himself and at her: "How could you…?"

"Oh, Joe helped me. He lives next door and… heard the mess"

He looked at her with quirked eyebrows: "What mess?"

"Me dragging you on the floor 'till my door step? You aren't exactly light, I couldn't possibly lift you!"

He crossed his arms over his chest and did not look at her. He heard her shift, her breath on his cheek, then her soft lips pressed there.

"Please, don't be ashamed. Everyone has their moments of weakness"

He turned his head. Their lips were mere inches apart.

Sarah cleared her throat: "A-Are you ok? Are you feeling alright? You had me pretty worried earlier"

"Better" he said.

"You sure?" she pressed.

He glared at her with his most annoyed look.

"Look, don't blame me if I got scared by you fainting dead against m-mmhpf!" his mouth silenced hers by planting a powerful kiss on her soft lips. She took his head and gently, not to make him lightheaded again, she pressed him harder against herself.

Eventually, they parted for air.

"You have changed your mind"

She looked at him: "I didn't change my mind" she replied a little too quickly.

He rolled his eyes and lifted himself up in a seated position, then looked at her hard: "The truth, Sarah"

Feeling like he was melting her with that stare, Sarah sighed and sat on the floor. She passed a hand through her hair: "I want to go back to the Labyrinth with you, still, there's something I can't put my finger on that holds me here… whether it is Toby or my book, I don't know-"

"You could bring your book with you" he suggested.

She sighed: he had a point. "What of Toby?"

After a moment, Jareth came to kneel in front to her on the floor between the couch and the coffee table. He took her hands in his like he had done before, stroking their backs with his thumbs, then raised his eyes to hers once more: "If we went back down in the Underground, I would be King and you would be my Queen, Sarah. I gave you certain powers, remember?" At her nod he continued: "You'll be able to generate crystals and see him through them, enter his dreams"

Sarah considered this, then asked: "Won't I be able to physically see him?"

"Only if he'll wish so"

She lowered her head in thought, weighting her options carefully. What if Toby didn't want to see her anymore because she had left him? She had grown to love him like nothing and anyone else before… but when she looked at her hands wrapped in Jareth's… that 'anyone else' became an 'anyone else before'. She felt her head being pulled up by gentle ungloved fingers.

"Reality can be easy to go through, but not always. Sometimes it hurts, an as bad as hell, I can assure you. But Sarah: you'll face no more suffering if you come with me. I'll give you anything you need, anything that you want and I will be your slave: the only thing that I ask you, is to respect me and love me just as much as I love you". Jareth saw a smile, bright her face up and a salty trail trace her cheek. He moved his hand to wipe it away, not fancying the fact that something that was different from his fingers or lips would brush so gently on her smooth face.

She giggled lightly: "You were not this clear and gentle last time"

"Last time, I was a little more occupied by winning my own game" he chuckled.

She smiled wider, shook her head and leaned to pick the pile that was her novel up: "Then, as you are already here" she moved to him and kissed the side of his mouth teasingly: "I wish the Goblin King would take me away, right now"

 **Inspiration: Songs by David Bowie, ""Heroes"" and "Underground", plus the film "The Man Who Fell to Earth".**

 **Special thank you to LabyrinthDavidBowieWildcats30 for her support last year after the publishing of the first chapter ;)**


	3. Let's dance, wife of mine

**Time May Change Me...**

 **Let's dance as the world falls down, wife of mine**

"Labyrinth" FanFiction

 **Happy Birthday David Bowie**

Starry nights gave Sarah mixed feelings: she had always preferred day to night in Aboveground, after sunset she found the world cold and felt exposed.

But down in the Underground, when the moon rose the most beautiful landscape awoke: there was a myriad of stars and their light wasn't only white, but had blue, purple and green hues, making the sky look like a see. The earth buzzed with colourful flying insects and sounds of crickets and frogs filled the air.

Everything seemed even more magical than it was at night-time.

Except for the Labyrinth: it looked even creepier when bathed in starshine, it highlighted its wickedness.

It gave Sarah shivers, as from her position on the balcony of her bedroom she could see quite a generous slice of it. She leaned her elbows on the stone railing and breathed in deep. Then her eyes were caught by a quick movement in the sky, she lifted her gaze to see a shooting star leave its wake across the nightly vault and smiled as a tune came to her mind: "Twinkle twinkle…" she hummed.

"What was it?"

She turned towards the voice and saw Jareth approaching: he was dressed as usual, loose white shirt, tight black pants which ended into his high old boots.

"Nothing important, really"

He stopped close to her and raised a leg to set his foot on a rock of the railing that stick out, then leaned his folded arms on his knee sighing.

"How was your day?" she smiled up at him.

He raised his eyebrows, shrugging lightly: "Tediously quiet: documents to sign, Goblins and chickens running about…"

She made a sound of disgust: "I hate those beasts, you should banish them from this place!"

The King gave her an incredulous expression: "Sarah, they may be chaotic and disgusting, but they are ancient creatures, faithful to their monarch: they have always lived here, you can't ask me to kick the Goblins out of my castle"

She blinked, then gave a laugh: "I wasn't talking about the Goblins! I meant the chickens!"

"Oh-"

"Come on, Jareth: they are dirty and stinky, they miss feathers everywhere and some rooms at the ground floor are a real mess, how couldn't you notice?"

Jareth remained silent for a few seconds: "That can be arranged".

"Thank you, majesty"

He returned her gaze with a smirk: "You know I would move the stars for my future Queen, Sarah"

"Yes, I do".

They stood like that a while, none of them speaking, just enjoying the view and listening to the far voices of the Goblins that lived in the city at the Castle's feet, until a gentle breeze started to blow. Jareth lowered his foot and, imitating Sarah's pose, scooted nonchalantly closer to her, their arms touching.

She followed his movements smiling sweetly. He didn't like to show affection in public and it was a long time he didn't show any to somebody: the fact that he was timidly letting himself go around her made him look cute in her eyes. _You really hate cold breeze, don't you?_ she thought.

She reached out to take one of hands in hers: she loved when he wore no gloves and she could feel how warm his palms were, how the touch of his bare skin against hers sent sparks of enjoyment through her whole body.

She leaned her head against his shoulder: "It scares me sometimes, you know?"

"What troubles your tranquillity, precious?"

"The maze"

Jareth chuckled: "Well, I don't blame it! You were the first to win over it, I bet it never wanted your presence here ever again!"

"You talk about it as if it was alive"

"Well… it is like a carnivorous plant: it stays quiet, until it gets a pray and when it does…" he paused.

"…When it does wha-aahh!?" Jareth had suddenly taken her by her sides and lifted her in his arms while spinning around: she laughed out loud, both because he was tickling her and because he had given her a fright.

"It does whatever it can not to allow them neither to reach the Castle nor to exit its twists and turns!" he said laughing too.

Slowly, Jareth lowered her to the ground and pulled her closer to him, forehead against forehead. They started to move their weight from one foot to the other, he slid a hand from behind her to take her hand and set his other palm on the small of her back. Their steps got larger and larger, until it was clear for Sarah that he was leading her into a dance. She slowed down: "Wait. I can't dance"

He smiled: "I've been an absolute beginner too, precious: it's not difficult. Let me teach you". He showed her some easy steps and how to make a sequence, still she had difficulties.

"If I only had my old red ballet shoes! I would be a lot more comfortable!" she said.

"You don't like your shoes?"

"No- Ugh- Yes, I like them, but they are not made to dance!"

"Don't get angry, love, it's normal to mess up the first times… Maybe this can help" He lifted a hand and formed a crystal, blowing lightly he sent it flying over their heads and a soft music started playing. "Now: don't think about the steps, listen to the music and relax. I lead: follow my moves, don't move by yourself"

Sarah closed her eyes, sighing. She let the melody flow through her mind and take the place of her thoughts: she remembered it. Her eyes shot open and locked with his: "That's our song".

"No. It's my song, for you" he started to dance and felt that she was moving with her. Their twirling went on, slow, undisturbed, until the last notes of the music faded into the night and the crystal popped into a rain of thin sparkles. He stopped and waited for her to make eye contact with him.

Sarah lifted her gaze to meet a pair of strange eyes: "What is it?"

Jareth shook his head. He lifted a palm to her cheek and caressed it softly: "You. You look so lovely, I've never seen any woman half as beautiful as you are and, trust me, I've met a lot of Fae princesses"

Sarah made a wide smile, her cheeks had gone red. Jareth leaned in to kiss one of her warm cheekbones: "Why blush in front of the truth?"

"Because no one ever told me the truth" she giggled.

"Well, it was about time" he whispered and earned a tight hug from her.

"Jareth?"

"Yes, precious?"

"I love you"

"And I will love you as the world falls apart and turns upside down, as time goes on and on, as long as I will live"

"…You are immortal, Jareth"

"Oh! What a fool, I had forgot. Well forever is not a long time after all, soon-to-be wife of mine" he lowered and held her close.

She lifted her head to look at him: "Not as long as you are with me"

That night, stars twinkled and watched over two souls under the moonlight, whose love was so strong it could have broken hearts in two. And it would have lasted forever and ever.

 **Inspiration: "Let's Dance", "As the World Falls Down", "Be my Wife" by David Bowie**

 **Thank you to all the patient followers of this story who wait a year for the new chapter! Thanks for all the favourites too!**

 **I'm not particularly satisfied with this one, there's something wrong ( _can you hear me Major Tom?_ ) but I can't put my finger on it: Review?**


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